A Locomotive Question

[Anonymous]

It is common today to see a lashup of different railroads motive power in a consist. Was this the case back in the 1960-1980? The train videos I have watched seem to show a solid consist of a particuler railroad. I also realize that there are a lot of lease companies today. Any feedback will be appreciated.

[M636C]

There was much less mixing of differently owned locomotives in the period you quote, possibly because the accounting was more difficult before modern computers were available.

But there were still many interesting lash-ups in the early Conrail era, when locomotives of the combined companies ran together in their original colours, along with some newly painted units in Conrail Blue. Reading units, in green and yellow, really stood out! Conrail also leased some CN MLW units at that time!

Peter

[Anonymous]

Nowadays the railways share WAY more than ever before.

Here in British Columbia CN and CP share all kinds of trackage...

They have directional running in the fraser canyon and in the lower mainland they recently announced that they are now sharing a whole bunch of trackage in by the port of Vancouver....

Interesting enough, however, I have never seen CN power on a CP train or CP power on a CN train.

[Junctionfan]

CN at that time? Yes. When I was younger, seeing consists of 4 to 5 SD40s with CN and sometimes the odd Conrail, or lease engine wasn't uncommon. I have even seen the exotic ones like Deleware Hudson, Chessie System and Northern Alberta Railways.

[JoeKoh]

tracey
back in the day youd see the railroad with its own or predecessor roads.like nkp with N&W or a B&O WM or C&O with the chessie paint locos.but now they keep better track of the hours and get better use out of the power.
stay safe
Joe

[CSXrules4eva]

Well around my area Philly it isn't uncommon at all to see different locomotive lash ups. I also see lots of different RR's power on one's right of way. One time on the NEC I saw two UP AC6000s with a coal train. They were headed nothbound on the route Conrail normally takes. I thought that was weird. There are lots of leasing companys out there today. Sometimes on a good day I'll see CSX. NS, UP, HLCX, GCFX power. There isn't a day (when I go railfaning in the greater philadelphia region) that I won't see a leasing unit making up a consist. I think the mixing up of railroad power in loco consists is a pratice of many areas today.

[Glen Ellyn]

Here is a seperate question that goes along with the first one. Did rail lines from 1960-1980 buy opponents engines or cars?

[tree68]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Glen Ellyn

Here is a seperate question that goes along with the first one. Did rail lines from 1960-1980 buy opponents engines or cars?

Since railroads have never manufactured their own diesels (at least not like some did with steam), and the practice of building your own cars has long passed, railroads haven't had to buy from "competitors" (if they ever did). IMHO, I don't think the Class 1's generally buy used equipment (ie from companies like Chrome Crankshaft), so that means they generally wouldn't be buying a competitors used equipment. Most RRs are going to run a car until it can't run.

Then you have to factor in leasing.....

[Glen Ellyn]

1. Tree68, thanks for the answere. I have been getting confused on that stuff. Because now, Just about everytime I see a train, I see a re painted engine with a different company.
2. M.W.Hemphill, what I am trying to say is, in the years of 1960-1980, would some companies buy engines or rolling stock from another company. Like the Burlington Northern buying an engine from the Union Pacific.

[BaltACD]

At the end of the Steam Era, when some roads were phasing out steam faster than other roads it was not uncommon for those roads that were still using steam to buy engines from those railroads that were going all diesel.

The B&O purchased a number of engines from both the SAL and B&M when those railroads dieselized. The B&O also purchased a number of NYO&W FT diesels when that company ceased operations.

Today the Class I's utilize their power until there is virtually no economic life left in the engines. Then they are sold off in three ways, to leasing companies that may or may not upgrade and rebuild some of the better expamles available. To Short Lines or Regionals as for these companies buying and upgrading a worn out Class I's junk may be more economic than attempting to purchase new power from the builders. The absolutely total junk goes to the scrappers.

[kevarc]

Many of the GP39Ms were rebuilt from many different RR's GP30's and other older models and then leased to BNSF. But by far the most well known are the Paducah rebuilds.

[jockellis]

I now see more Union Pacific diseasels in Atlanta, GA than I do of the railroads which actually have track here, Norfolk Southern and CSX. Twenty years ago, I nearly fainted when I saw a red Frisco EMD on the point of a SCL freight in Waycross, GA.
Jock Ellis

[ozzy01]

Back around the 1980 time frame while living in Dayton,Ohio , Southern Rwy units showed up on CR pooled trains between Columbus,Oh-Chatanooga,Tn. From time to time an SP unit would appear. Chessie had an ocassional SR unit,but it was rare.